1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image processing apparatus and method and, more particularly, to an image processing apparatus and method for a video camera (which includes a movie-video camera, a still-video camera, a movie/still-video camera, etc.), as well as to the video camera itself.
2. Description of the Related Art
A video camera internally incorporates a solid-state electronic image sensing device such as a CCD for generating a video signal that represents the captured image of a subject. The solid-state electronic image sensing device has a comparatively narrow dynamic range. This means that when the difference between bright and dark portions contained in the field of view is large, it may be difficult to photograph both portions at an appropriate exposure. For example, this is the case when the background is bright and a centrally located main subject is dark, as in photography under backlighted conditions, and when photography is performed in a room having a window, with the main subject being inside the room and outside scenery being visible through the window. When exposure is adjusted so as to expose the main subject (often a person) properly in the photography of such scenes, there are cases in which the bright background portion becomes considerably whitish and the picture no longer appears well-defined. Conversely, if exposure is adjusted so as to expose the bright background properly, the comparatively dark portion (the main subject) becomes blackish and difficult to see.